Hope in Her Eyes
by Ryann Winner
Summary: Continuation from "Light Breaks Through the Darkness". Part of my Takari saga. Kari has something to tell TK, but he is never around. How does she handle it? What does TK do? R & R.


Hope in Her Eyes  
By RyAnn Winner  
  
DISCLAIMER: Don't own anyone but Aaron, Suki, and one other character, who will be named later in the fic.  
  
NOTES: Well, here it is, the sequel to "Light Breaks Through the Darkness", which is the sequel of "The Way it Should Be". I never knew when I wrote it originally, it would spawn two sequels, maybe even more. Oh well, enjoy!  
  
"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." Romans 12:12  
  
'Not again.' The young woman made it to the toilet just in time. Once there she rid herself of all she had eaten the past few hours.   
"Are you okay?" A fellow coworker who was in the bathroom with her asked in concern.  
"Yeah, I guess I just ate something that didn't agree with me." Kari Takaishi washed her mouth and popped some gum in her mouth.  
"If you're sure Kari."  
"I am, and thank you." Kari walked out of the bathroom hating the fact that she lied to someone. Truth is she hadn't felt good for the past few weeks. She was tired and achy all the time. It was so bad that she had finally broke down and called a doctor. She had an appointment for later that day. Kari reached her desk and resumed working until it was time for her to leave for her appointment.  
  
"Well, Mrs. Takaishi, it is as I thought. Congratulations. In about seven months, you are going to be a mother."  
"I'm pregnant?"  
"It seems that way. Now, it says here that you already have a son, so I am not going to bore you with rules and other such stuff. Here's a prescription for some vitamins, and talk to the nurse up front and she can make you an appointment with your OB/GYN."  
"Thank you doctor."  
  
Kari called work and told them she wouldn't be there the rest of the day. She had some vacation time so she just took a half a day. She didn't even offer an explanation. This was so unlike her, but she didn't care. She wanted to get home and tell her husband the good news. He was going to be a father again, and this time he wouldn't miss any of it.  
  
When she did get home, she found the house strangely empty. TK was supposed to be home. This was his afternoon off. She called out his name a few times, but there was never any answer. She checked the machine, but there were no messages. There didn't seem to be a note either.  
"Where could he be?" Kari wondered aloud. She was starting to get worried. Just then the phone rang.  
"Hello?"  
"Kari, its May." May was Kari's assistant.  
"Hello May, is there something the matter?"  
"No, not really. I was just checking your voice mail when I came across a message from your husband."  
"Did you listen to it?" Kari was really starting to get worried. TK never left a message on her voice mail unless it was a real emergency.  
"Yes. He said he was sorry and that he had an emergency recording session with the band. He'll call you when he gets a chance."  
"Thank you. Were there any more?" Kari was relieved that's all it was.  
"Not any that can't wait."  
"All right. I'll see you Monday. Enjoy your weekend."  
"You too."  
Kari hung up the phone. She felt a slight disappointment that she couldn't tell TK yet, but she could tell him tonight.  
  
Two hours later, Kari was fixing supper and Aaron was watching TV when the phone rang.  
"I'll get it." Aaron jumped from his spot and ran to the phone. "Hello...Oh, hi Dad...she's fixing dinner...watching TV...yes, my homework's done...alright.... Hey, Mom, Dad's on the phone."  
"Thanks sweetie. And what did I tell you about yelling and running in the house?"  
"I'm sorry." Aaron started to run back to the living room, but with a stern look from his mother, he slowed his pace to a fast walk.  
"Hello?"  
"Hey, babe."  
"TK. I'm fixing dinner now. When should I have it ready?"  
"That's what I'm calling about. I really don't know when we'll be done. The recording company messed up one of our tracks, and now we have to record it all again."  
"That's alright. Just come home as soon as you can."  
"I will. I love you."  
"I love you."  
Kari hung up, her disappointment rising because now she had to wait even later to tell TK her news.   
It wasn't that she hated the fact TK was now the new guitarist for his brother's band, she actually liked the idea. TK was as good as his brother and he deserved this. But, she wasn't fond of all the hours he was putting in lately. She knew they would be long, especially since they were recording a new CD. But, lately, it seems that he was gone more and more. If it wasn't to a session, it was an interview, or even a photo shoot. She was beginning to miss her husband, and they had only been married about six months.  
  
"Aaron, sweetie, dinner's ready. Wash your hands and come help me set the table."  
"Coming." Her son came into the kitchen and washed his hands. He went to the cabinet and pulled out three plates.  
"You'll only need two plates." Kari told her son. He put one back.  
"Dad's not going to be here?"  
"I'm afraid not. He's recording again with your Uncle Matt."  
"Oh. I was going to get him to help me with my lay ups tonight." Aaron had made the school basketball team.  
"Maybe he'll be home in time before you go to bed."  
"Maybe." Kari's heart broke a little at the look on her son's face. This was hurting him even more than it was her. He didn't get to see his father as much as he wanted to. As much as he needed to. At least Kari saw him when he would come home late. Aaron was already asleep most times.  
"Let's eat." Kari proclaimed when she had the food sitting on the table. Neither of them ate much though. Each had too much on their minds. They both needed TK there.  
  
It was around midnight when he finally did come home. TK let himself in the front door. After putting his guitar in the office/music room, he went to check on his son.  
Opening the door, the light from the hall spilled into his son's room. On one wall there was a poster of his Uncle Matt's band, with TK in it. Of course, it was autographed. On another wall were Davis Motomiya's and Ken Ichijouji's soccer pictures, framed and signed. Along with a picture of his Uncle Tai when he was younger playing soccer. Another wall had a desk propped against it with a computer. The room itself was done in blue and had race cars and other such boy things lying around.  
TK walked over to his son's bed and sat down. Looking at him, he felt the same love overwhelm him that started from the time he had found out he was his son. Now, he had aged and looked just like TK did when they all made their first trip into the Digital World. Smoothing back the hair that was the same color as his mother's, he leaned down and kissed his son's forehead. Taking the basketball from his arms, he placed it on the nightstand and left, closing the door behind him.  
He made his way down the hall to his and Kari's room. She was still up. He could see the light coming from under the door. He walked into their room, and stopped. She had been waiting up for him. She was sitting in the chair by the window with a book in her lap, and was asleep.   
TK shut the door, and she stirred. "Hey, sorry to wake you."  
"That's okay. What time is it?" She was rubbing her eyes and stretching. TK just watched her. He could never get enough of watching his wife.  
"A little after midnight."  
"Did you guys finish?" She stood from the chair and put her book back on the bookshelf.  
"Yeah. Finally. Now, all we have to do is finish the other five tracks." He walked up to his wife and took her into his arms. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to be here tonight."  
"It's okay. We understand." She returned his hug. After a minute, she pulled away and got into bed. TK went to the bathroom and got ready for bed.  
Not long after he went in, he came back out and got into bed with Kari. She was already asleep, so he just took her in his arms and he himself was soon in dreamland.  
  
A little over a week later, TK woke up to the sound of his wife sick in the bathroom. This worried him. He got out of bed and went into the bathroom. Kari was leaning over the toilet loosing whatever she ate for supper the night before. TK walked over and held her hair back while she finished.  
When she was finished, he went to the sink and wet a cloth with cold water. He handed it to her. She gave him a grateful smile and wiped her face with it.  
"What's wrong? Are you getting the flu?"  
"No. Not the flu."  
"Well, what is it?"  
This is not the way she had planned on telling him. She had always pictured a nice dinner with just the two of them, or lying in bed one night, or even on a walk in the park. Definitely not like this. 'Well, I won't lie to him.'  
"You see..." She didn't get any further because just then Aaron knocked on the door and announced that "Uncle Matt called and said you need to be at the studio as soon as you can."  
Kari just walked out of the bathroom and started to get ready for her day. Her disappointment growing even more.  
  
TK was worried about his wife. She had been about to tell him what was wrong with her when Aaron interrupted them. After Aaron had finished the message, he turned around so Kari could finish, but she was already up and getting ready for work. There was something wrong with her, and TK was afraid it was serious. He remembered how sick she got when they were in the Digital World battling the Dark Masters. He was only a kid then and wasn't sure how serious it could be. Now, that he was an adult, he knew.  
"Earth to TK. Helloo...you in there." Matt was waving his hand in front of his brother's face.  
"Sorry. I guess I wandered off there for a moment."  
"Try about ten minutes. You okay?"  
"Not really. Something's wrong with Kari. She got sick this morning. She was about to tell me what was wrong, but Aaron delivered your message at just that time." TK slid down to the floor and put his head in his hands.  
"You're really worried, aren't you?"  
"If it were Mimi?" Matt didn't have to think at all for the answer. He knew he would be in the exact same position as his brother.  
"You're right. Are you alright to play?"  
"Yeah. I think so." TK's eyes betrayed a different emotion though.  
Matt held out his hand to his brother. TK accepted it and was pulled up to a standing position. Instead of letting his hand go, Matt gathered TK in a brotherly hug, just like he used to do when they were younger.   
"Are we gonna do this, or what?" An impatient band member asked.  
"Yeah." The two brothers picked up their guitars and started to play.  
  
Kari was in the middle of a layout for her next story when the doorbell rang. She went to answer it, and saw her brother and her niece.  
"Tai, what are you doing here? I thought you were at work."  
"I was, but when you own your own business, it's easy to take the afternoon off. So, I did and went and picked up Suki from Mom and Dad's and decided to come see Aunt Kari, Uncle TK, and Cousin Aaron."  
"Well, Uncle TK is practicing, again, and Cousin Aaron is in his room on his computer. Would you like to go play with Aaron?" Kari asked the toddler.  
Suki just nodded. Her brown eyes sparkling. She loved spending time with her cousin. Kari took her from Tai and proceeded to her son's room. There, she knocked.  
"Come in." With her son's permission, she entered.  
"Aaron, honey, you have someone here who would like to play with you." Her son turned around. His face lit up. He really did love to play with his little cousin.  
Kari set her down beside him at his desk. He then shut down the program he was doing, and pulled up one he had installed just for her. When the dancing animals came on the screen, her eyes just lit up. Knowing her niece was in good hands and happy, she left the two children alone and returned to her brother.  
"So, he's practicing again, huh?"  
"Yeah." Tai wasn't sure, but he thought he saw disappointment and rage flash for a second in her eyes.  
"Is there something wrong?"  
"It's just that he's with the band more and more lately, and less and less with me and Aaron. It frustrates me, and I know it does Aaron. He misses playing ball with his dad." Kari left out the part about not telling him yet about the baby. Actually, she hadn't told anyone yet. She wanted her husband to be the first to know.  
"There's something else, isn't there?" Tai asked his sister. He could always read her. And she in turn could read him.  
"Yes, but understand that I can't tell you yet, not until I tell TK."  
"Sure. I understand. By the way, Sora's pregnant again. She's a month along."  
Kari jumped on her brother and gave him a huge hug. They had wanted a big family, and they were probably going to get it.  
She remembered the baby she carried and became subdued. She hid it quickly before she pulled back from her brother.  
"That's wonderful. Does Suki know?"  
"Yeah, we told her, but I don't think she understands yet."   
"Uncle Tai!" A brown haired blur came flying out of the hallway. He landed in his uncle's arms. Tai gave him a big hug.  
"Aaron Takaishi, what have I told you about running in the house?"  
"Sorry Mom, but Uncle Tai's here." He started to pout. Even though he was older, it still got her like it did when he was younger.  
"Okay, but only because Uncle Tai is here. Where's your cousin?" Just then, she came toddling out of the hallway after her cousin.  
"'Rin, 'Rin." She couldn't say his name fully yet, so he told her to call him 'Rin.  
"Sorry Suki. You still want some juice?" The little girl just nodded her head.  
"Hey Aaron, after you get her some juice, you want to kick a soccer ball around a little?"  
"Yeah! Thanks Uncle Tai." He took off for the kitchen. Not too long later, he returned with the juice and uncle and nephew were headed out the back door to play.  
After they were through, Aaron was helping Suki kick the ball. Tai walked up to his sister. He noticed there were tears in her eyes. "What's wrong?"  
"It's just that this is the first time in a long while that Aaron has had anyone play with him that way."  
"What about TK?"  
The flash in her eyes appeared again. "He's too busy."  
Tai wasn't sure what to say, so he just hugged her. Together, they watched their two children play.  
  
It was another two weeks later, when TK was woken up again by the sound of his wife sick in the bathroom. He was really worried now. It had been at least two weeks and she was apparently still sick. He got out of bed and went into the bathroom. He held her hair again, and when she was done, he handed her another cool, wet cloth.  
"All right, there is something wrong, I know it. You haven't got any better since the last time, and that was two weeks ago." He was getting more and more worried over his wife. It was evident in his eyes.  
It had all gotten too much for Kari, and her hormones were beginning to go awry. "I'm fine." She said this more forcefully than she intended to.  
This upset TK. "You're not. You are sick. You have gotten sick two times, that I know of."  
"I said I'm fine." She brushed past him to get to her closet. She had to get ready for work.  
"You're not." He followed her to her closet.  
"Why would you care?" She brushed past him with her clothes and went to the bed.  
"What do you mean? Of course I care. You're my wife. I love you." He was confused by what she was saying.  
"Could have fooled me over the past few months. To me, it seems that your guitar and that band mean more to you than Aaron and I do." She was getting dressed, and by her movements, TK could tell she was angry.  
"That's not true, and you know it." What his wife was saying was making TK angry.  
"Oh, do I?" Kari stopped and turned to her husband. Anger flashed in her maroon eyes. "How many suppers have you been home for the past month? How many baskets have you thrown with your son? Did you know your son's team won their first game?" TK didn't answer Kari. He knew the answers. "How many times have we made love? You know, I'm surprised, with all the times that we actually have, that I even conceived." She was through, so she ran out of the room. She got into her car, not even sure of where she was headed.  
TK just slumped onto the bed, not really sure what to make out of all that had transpired. There had been something missing in her eyes when she left. Hope.  
  
"Daddy?" Aaron came into his parents' bedroom slowly. The way he called TK 'Daddy' instead of 'Dad' told TK he was worried or upset about something.  
"What is it Aaron?" TK picked up his son and placed him in his lap.  
"Um, are you and Mommy mad at each other 'cause I heard you yelling."  
"Oh, Aaron," TK just pulled his son tighter into his arms. Holding him this way made TK realize how much he hadn't done this over the past few months. "Grown ups sometimes yell at each other. It doesn't mean they're mad at each other. It helps to let go of things inside. It sometimes makes us feel better."  
"Oh. Well, if Mommy feels better, why did she leave?"  
"I don't know. Maybe she needed some time to herself. Grownups sometimes need time alone." TK's answer must have calmed Aaron, because he didn't ask anymore questions. "Let's get you ready for school. How about I take you today?"  
Aaron's mood lifted. "Really?" TK nodded. "You don't have to work today?"  
"Nope. I'm calling Matt and taking the day off." Aaron then hugged his dad tight, which TK returned, breathing in the scent of his son. He really missed him.  
After Aaron left to finish getting ready, TK called his brother.  
  
"Hello?"   
"Good morning Mimi, is Matt home?"  
"I'm sorry TK, he left early this morning. Is there something I can do for you?"  
"No...wait...yes. Mimi, can I ask you a question?" TK thought that maybe Mimi would know what was going on with his wife. He sure didn't. And he was ashamed of that fact.  
"Sure, go ahead."  
"What do you think of the hours Matt's gone?"  
"Honestly?"  
"Please."  
"Well, at first I didn't mind, because I knew it was his dream. But lately, I'm feeling kinda lonely around here. I mean, do you guys really need to practice, rehearse, and record so much. I'm sure some of the other wives and girlfriends feel the same way. Why?"  
"Well, Kari and I got into an argument this morning about the hours I'm not home."  
"I can understand. Kari and I have actually talked about this. We've called each other late at night when you two were away doing something for the band.   
"I'm going to tell you something, and I don't know if I should. Kari's told me this in confidence, but it may help you."  
"What is it?" He would listen to anything that would help him make Kari happy.  
"Well, to her it seems you're away even more than the rest of the band, you being the manager, too. So..." Mimi left the ending for TK to figure out.  
"I need to choose. One or the other." Lucky for him, he figured it out.  
"I didn't say that."  
"But that's what I need to do." He knew he needed to. He hadn't realized how much doing both had cost him time with his family. The time increased gradually, so he didn't really realize it. "Thanks Mimi."  
"No problem. I hope I helped. Bye."  
TK hung up and called his brother.  
"Hello." TK heard his brother answer his phone.  
"Matt, I need to talk to you today."  
"Sure, we can talk after practice."  
"No, it needs to be as soon as I get to the studio. I'm taking Aaron to school..."  
"Where's Kari?"  
"That's what I need to talk to you about. Anyway, I'll drop him off at school and then come straight there."  
"Alright. See you then 'bro."  
"Right." Just then, Aaron poked his head in and told his dad he was ready.   
TK put down the phone. He walked by his son and ruffled his hair. Aaron just tried to put it back in place. It seemed though, that he had inherited his father's and uncle's hair. No matter what, it would just stick out everywhere. TK thought of something, he went back into his room.  
When he came back, he was holding a white bucket hat. He put it on his son's head.  
"Wow, is this the hat you wore when you and Mom were in that picture?"  
"Yep, sure is squirt."  
"Cool." Aaron walked off, if it was possible, a foot taller.  
TK just chuckled, picked up his keys, locked the door, and then drove his son to school. Before Aaron got out, TK promised to pick him up after school and they would practice basketball. Aaron's smile could be seen from space.  
  
"Hey, where's your guitar?" One of TK's band mates asked when he walked into the studio empty-handed. Matt overheard this and turned around. "That's okay. I have an extra one here."  
"That's okay. I'm not going to need it today."  
"WHAT?" Four voices chorused.  
"Can we talk in private?" TK asked Matt. Matt nodded his head, then led him into an unused office.  
When they were in with the door closed, TK didn't even get in good when Matt turned on him. "Okay TK, what's the idea? You come in here with no instrument, and then when I offer you one, you turn it down. You can't record without an instrument."  
"Exactly. You got my point. I can't."  
"What do you mean? Every thing okay?" Matt leaned against the desk.  
TK sat down in the nearest chair and hung his head. After a minute, he raised his head, and Matt was shocked to see tears shining in his blue eyes. "Not really. Kari and I had a fight this morning."  
"Over what?" Matt was shocked again because for as long he had known them together, they had never truly fought. Only argued, and they usually settled it not long after it started.  
"Over this." TK gestured around the studio. "About all the time I've been spending here and all the times I had something to do with the band."  
"Doesn't she understand we're recording an album?"  
"She does, but what you, and honestly, me too, don't realize, is that I'm spending more time doing things as the manager. I'm pulling double duty here. Even Aaron seemed happier this morning than I've seen him in a long time. And all I did was take him to school and promise to play basketball with him after school. I haven't been spending as much time with him as I should be." The two men were silent for a while. TK's eye caught the platinum of his wedding band. He then came to realize he had neglected his wedding vows. TK caught Matt looking at his own gold ring that encircled his left ring finger. He wondered if his brother was thinking the same thing that he was.  
"Wow, I didn't realize. To be honest with you too, Mimi and I have had words over this subject. I cut back on the hours we record, but I didn't give a thought to the hours that you spend outside the studio.  
"So, what are you going to do?" Matt was thinking along the same lines as his brother.  
"Well, me here without the guitar should be a clue."  
Matt thought a minute, and then the answer dawned on him. "You're quitting the band?"  
"Not completely. Just quitting the guitar. I'll still be your backup, but I want to go back to the way it was before. I actually like working behind the scenes better anyway. You've always handled popularity and fawning girls better than I have. Look how you handled Jun."  
"Don't even mention that name." Matt just shuddered. It wasn't that she wasn't a nice person, it was just the fact that she seemed like a stalker.  
"Who, Jun?"  
"TK..." Matt warned his little brother.  
"I'm just playing around." TK held his hands in a defensive position.   
"Listen, I thought about it on the way over. We need to start auditions soon for a new guitarist, if we want to get the CD out and not too much past the deadline. I know some guitarists and even some agents. I'll start calling them tomorrow. Today, I'm going to be with my son and wife, if I can find her." TK said the last part low, so Matt wasn't sure of what he said.  
"What do you mean, if you can find her?"  
"Just what I said. She ran off after our fight and left. I called her work, her brother's, Yolei's, even her parent's. I can't think of where else she might be."  
"Well, good luck to you squirt. As for the band, I guess we get an unexpected day off. I know what I'll do." Matt gave his younger brother a wink.  
"So, does that mean I'm going to be an uncle in nine months?"  
"That is none of your business, though between us, maybe."  
The two brothers shared a laugh as they left the office and TK left to go find his wife.  
  
An hour later, he still didn't know where she was. He decided to go to the park. He walked along the many paths he and Kari had walked when they were younger, and the ones the three of them walked along now. He remembered she loved the swings.   
**flashback**  
"Push me higher, TK." A nine year old TK was pushing Kari on the swings.  
"Is it safe?"  
"Yes, silly."  
"Um, won't our moms be mad?"  
"No, they can't see us. That's why I like it here. No one can see you."  
**end flashback**  
And suddenly, it dawned on him where she was. He took off at a run for the other side of the park. He was there in under a minute.  
He pushed back the overgrown branches, and his heart stopped. She was sitting on one of the swings. Her back was to him, but he could see her shoulders shake with her sobs. He walked into the grove and approached her. All he did was kneel down and put his arms around her from behind. TK rested his head against his wife's back. He just held her in a way he now realized that he hadn't in a long while. Too long.  
  
Kari was in her favorite spot in the park. She had always come here because not too many people know about it, and you couldn't see who was in there. It was private, and that was what she wanted today.  
She was crying and praying again. She prayed TK would soon realize what he was doing to them. Suddenly, she felt arms around her. She wasn't scared. She knew the arms well. They were the arms of her husband. She just let herself cry. It had been too long since he had held her this way.  
  
When she was done, she turned in her husband's arms. "What are doing here? I thought you would be with the band today?" She asked the last with more contempt than she intended. She noticed him flinch, and she was suddenly ashamed of the way she had acted.  
"No, I decided to take today off." Kari just turned her eyes to TK. She had a look of complete surprise on her face.  
"What about the album? What did Matt say?"  
"The album is on hold until they find a new guitarist. And, Matt couldn't say anything. I'm the manager remember? When I decide to give them a day off, they listen."  
Kari's mind was registering what her husband had just said. 'On hold...find a new guitarist...the manager...a day off.' When it all sunk in, she looked at her husband with questions in her eyes. There was also something there that hadn't been there in a while. Hope.  
TK answered her questions before she had a chance to voice them. "Yes, they need a new guitarist because I resigned as their guitarist. As of this morning, I am solely the manager. And, since I was taking the day off, they didn't have much of a choice. Personally, I think they were happy about the idea. It wasn't even five minutes after Matt and I told them that they were heading to their homes."  
"You really resigned? Why? I thought you loved playing with your brother." Kari was still bewildered by what TK was telling her.  
"I do. I still will, when they need me. But, I realized today that it wasn't what it used to be when he was teaching me. I liked it better when it was just a brother thing.  
"Besides, that's not the reason I resigned." He took his hand and brought it to Kari's face. He cupped her cheek in his hand. His thumb caressed her cheek wiping away tears that were falling. "I realized this morning after you left what all my time away was doing to us. Not just us, but all of us. Aaron too. I offered to take him to school this morning, and he just lit up. It was the happiest I had seen him in a long while. All because I offered to take him to school.  
"I talked to Mimi. I called their house looking for Matt to tell him I was taking the day off. He had already left, but I ended up talking to Mimi. During our conversation, it hit me just what the time away had done to you. To us.   
"Kari, can you forgive me? I'm sorry. I seem to have forgotten the promise I made to you on our wedding day. I promised to be there for you and Aaron." Taking his hand away from her face, TK brought Kari's left hand up and ran his fingers over the band he had placed there not even a year ago. "I haven't. I truly am sorry. I put my career before our marriage and family. That was something I swore I wouldn't ever do. I did. I'm sorry..." TK didn't get to finish because Kari put her finger over his lips. With her other hand, she wiped away the tears on her husband's face. She seemed to not realize there were some on her own face.  
"I do forgive you. I know what the band means to you. I'm happy that you guys are successful and I'm sorry about what I said to you this morning. I'm just tired. I'm working on a new project..." She didn't get to finish before she was interrupted by her husband.  
"Don't apologize for that. I'm glad you did. It opened my eyes. I honestly don't think I would have noticed what I was doing if you hadn't said what you did. You did me a favor."  
"TK..." Kari wrapped her arms around her husband's neck. He put both his arms around her again. He sat down on the sand around the swings and brought her down with him into his lap. As if with one mind, their faces inched closer and their lips joined together in a kiss that was long overdue.  
When they both had to come up for air, they didn't pull too far apart; in fact, their foreheads were actually touching. Their eyes were locked on each other. They sat that way for an undetermined time. No words. None were needed. Their souls were communicating again.  
The silence was broken by TK. "Um, Kari, I want to ask you about something you said this morning."  
"Sure."  
"Well, did I or did I not hear and I quote 'Well, I'm surprised, with all the times we have, that I even conceived' end quote?"  
"I could have. I don't really remember what I said." Kari said sheepishly.  
"So, have you? Are you pregnant?" TK asked her with hope in his voice.  
"Um, TK, I'm pregnant." Not exactly the most romantic way to tell him, but they were at their favorite spot to come when they were younger. It wasn't a total loss.  
TK didn't say anything. He just picked up his wife and spun her around. His smile was enough to light up the dark.  
"How long have you known?" He hadn't even put her down on the ground. He still held her in the air by the waist.  
"About a month now. I tried telling you right after I found out, but you had had an emergency at the studio. You got in late that night, and I was too tired to say anything. I tried other times to tell you, but you would always be too busy." Kari started crying again. She was thinking back to another time when she didn't tell him he was going to be a father.  
"I'm sorry." TK put her down and just wiped away her tears and held her. His hand found its way to her abdomen, and he gently rubbed the spot where their child was. TK and Kari's eyes never left each other's. Each of them had tears in their eyes.  
They stayed like that until TK's watch beeped. He looked at the time and remembered his promise to pick up Aaron at school. "Kari, I promised Aaron I'd pick him up from school. How about you come with me? I'll take you two out for ice cream, then we'll head home so I can play ball with my son."  
Kari nodded her head. TK took her hand and led her to his car. He opened the door for her and went around to get in himself. Once they were on their way, TK started asking questions. "So, when's the baby due?"  
"In six months." Kari was now smiling the brightest smile. She hadn't smiled like that in so long. It lifted TK's heart to see it.  
"Have you told anyone else?"  
"Nope, I wanted you to be the first to know this time." She didn't have to say anything more. They were both thinking of a time when he was pretty much the last to know.  
He smiled back at her and took her hand. They held hands until they reached their son's school. When they arrived, they both got out and stood by the car. TK put an arm around his wife's shoulder. She rested her head on his shoulder.  
When Aaron came out of the building with his friends, he saw his mom and dad there. He ran over to them, and not caring what his friends thought, he gave them both a hug. When his dad mentioned ice cream, he wasted no time getting in the car. When everyone was in the car, the family made their way to the ice cream parlor. Kari commented that she liked Aaron's hat.  
"It was Dad's." He said it as if he had just won the MVP trophy.  
She just smiled at her son, who at that moment reminded her more of his father.  
  
A week later, the Takaishi's were out celebrating Aaron's team's win over the rival team. They had gone to a favorite fast food restaurant, Aaron's choice. They were eating when TK and Kari decided to tell Aaron the good news.  
"Aaron, honey, we've got something to tell you."  
"What is it Mom?" He asked the question calmly, but inside he was trembling. He hadn't forgotten the loud voices his parents used not too long ago.  
"Our family is about to change." Aaron's heart sank. He knew they weren't going to be a family any longer. Sure, they did more things together, but maybe it was all an act.  
TK saw the look on his son's face and instantly recognized it. It was the same look he and Matt had when his mom and dad told them they were getting a divorce. TK quickly reassured his son.  
"Yep, it's about to grow bigger."  
"I know. Aunt Sora's pregnant."  
"Yes she is, but, I am too. How would you like a little brother or sister?" Kari asked her son.  
"Really? I'm going to be a brother? When?" Aaron's blue eyes lit up at the thought. They weren't going to split up.  
"Yes, in about six months you will be a big brother. What do you think?"  
"Cool. I can't wait to tell my friends."  
Kari and TK just smiled at their grinning son. He picked up his hamburger and with a renewed appetite, proceeded to inhale it.  
  
Two months later, TK and Kari were lying in bed when it happened. TK was holding Kari and they were talking baby names, nursery colors, and other such things when Kari felt a small flutter. Her eyes grew wide. She knew what it was. Their baby had just moved for the first time. Without a word, she guided TK's hand to her stomach and placed it where the movement was. TK was confused, but that quickly faded into wonder when he felt a small flutter under his hand. Their baby. He had missed this with Aaron, but he wouldn't with this one. Gathering his wife into his arms, he gave her a kiss.  
While they were reveling in the feel of their child, the phone rang. They didn't want to answer it, and Aaron was over at a friend's house. So, the machine picked it up. The bedroom door was open, so they heard the message that was being recorded.  
"Hey bro, its Matt. You'll never guess what I just found out. It looks like you will be an uncle. In seven months time. It seems your prediction that day came true. Call me back when you get this message. Later."  
TK just burst into laughter, and when he could talk, he let Kari in on the joke. Soon, she was joining him in laughter.  
  
Over the next few months, TK saw just what he had missed when Kari was pregnant with Aaron. Some things, he was grateful he missed. Like the food. All the food she ate. She was worse than her brother and Davis put together. He saw her dip a pickle into ice cream and then wash it all down with milk. He still shudders whenever he thinks about.  
  
During her pregnancy, TK went with her to all her appointments. He still remembers the first time he heard its heartbeat. When he saw his baby for the first time on the ultrasound, there were tears in his eyes. They hadn't wanted to know the baby's sex. They wanted it to be a surprise.   
  
One day, while TK was in a meeting with a concert producer, his phone rang. He still worked with the band now, just in a more flexible position. He wanted to be able to be there for Kari whenever she needed him.  
Excusing himself, he went outside and answered the phone. To his surprise, it was Sora.  
"TK, Kari just went into labor. We were out shopping. Anyway, we're on our way to the hospital now. How soon can you get there?"  
"Well, I'll leave as soon as I get off the phone with you, and explain everything. But, it will be a couple hours 'til I can get there. The meeting is a couple hours from home. Let me speak to Kari." He heard the phone being passed.  
"Kari, how you feeling?"  
"TK." There was relief in her voice. "About as good as can be expected."  
"That's my girl. I'll be there as soon as I can. Try to hang on. I love you."  
"I love you. Hurry."  
"I will. Bye."  
"Bye."  
TK disconnected the call and walked back into the meeting room.  
"Please forgive me. I'm going to have to postpone the rest of this meeting."  
"Is everything alright?" Matt, who had come along, asked his brother.  
"Yes, but it seems that Kari's gone into labor." TK's eyes filled with worry.  
"I thought she wasn't due for another two weeks."  
"She's not."  
"Don't worry about it. Go; be with your wife. Call us when everything gets settled. We'll work everything out then." The producer was very understanding. He too had a wife that was due with their first child soon.  
"Thank you." TK and Matt bowed and then left. Matt offered to drive since he didn't think his brother would be in any condition to drive. He knew how much TK worried over Kari, especially since she was in labor and TK had promised to be there for the birth.  
  
It was indeed two hours later when the brothers arrived at the hospital. TK didn't even let Matt get the car in park before he was off and running for the hospital. He ran into the hospital and up the stairs to the maternity ward. He was sprinting down the hall when he heard someone call his name.  
  
Kari was sitting in bed, watching the heartbeat of her baby when she spotted a familiar head of golden hair blur by her open door.  
"TK!" She called out to her husband. She saw him stop and turn around. He looked relieved when he saw her. He walked into the room and gave her a hug.  
"I'm sorry I wasn't here."  
"Don't worry about it. You didn't know the baby would choose today to enter the world. Besides, you're here now, that's all that matters." She gave him a quick kiss to soothe him.  
"You're right..AAAGH." Kari had apparently had a slight contraction. TK felt his hand being squeezed. Just as she was releasing it, the nurse came in.  
"Are you Mr. Taikaishi?"  
"Yes."  
"Good. It looks like you've made it just in time. Kari here is ready to deliver. Come with me and I'll get you ready." TK gave Kari a kiss and squeezed her hand before following the nurse out the door.  
  
When he next saw her, she was in the delivery room. He went over to her and took her hand. She smiled at him and apologized in advance for any pain she would cause him and any thing she said to him. He just smiled at her and gave her a quick kiss, showing her that he wouldn't take any offense to anything.  
Soon, labor began in full force. The contractions were hitting Kari one after the other. Each one lasting a little longer than the last.   
"TK, tell her not to push just yet."  
"Honey, did you hear that? Don't push just yet."  
"I have to."  
"Wait until the doctor says its okay. You can do it." TK wiped the sweat off Kari's face. He placed a light kiss on her forehead. Kari felt better.  
"Okay Kari, I want you to push." She did so, but at the same time, she squeezed on TK's hand. He just gritted his teeth. He didn't want Kari to know what she was doing to him. Although he was sure if he were to scream, she wouldn't have noticed what she was doing.  
She continued to push until she felt she couldn't anymore. "One or two more good ones." The doctor told her.  
"I can't. I'm too tired."  
"Kari, honey, look at me." She turned to look at her husband. "You can. You are the strongest woman I know. We've been through worse than this. You can do it. I believe in you." He again wiped the sweat from her brow.  
When he finished, she felt better. She nodded her head and pushed when the doctor told her to. "That's it Kari, I can see the head. One more." With all her strength, she gave one more push. "All right. The head's out. Rest for a second. Then one more should do it."  
"You said one more three pushes ago." Kari commented dryly.  
"I lied. Sorry." The doctor just smiled at the couple. When the doctor had cleared the baby's mouth, he instructed Kari to push one last time. With the last of her strength and her husband's soothing voice in her ear, she pushed one last time, and then felt the baby leave her. She collapsed against the pillow.  
The small lung's cries filled the room. "Congratulations, you have a daughter." The nurse handed the baby to TK.   
He couldn't speak. He was too overcome at the feeling of holding his daughter. Staring at her, he couldn't believe that this tiny creature was his and his wife's creation. Tears were running down his cheeks, and his smile could rival the brightest star.  
Kari looked at the sight with tears running down her face. But hers were for a different reason. This is the way it was supposed to have been with Aaron.  
TK looked at Kari. "I love you." He sat down beside her and leaned down to give her a kiss.  
"I love you." She returned the kiss. She put one hand on her daughter's tiny head and with the other she held TK's hand. Together they marveled at the sight of their brand new daughter.  
  
Later, after the baby was taken to get weighed and other such things, and Kari was moved back to her room, TK went to tell the news to all that had gathered. He walked out into the waiting room. Looking around he saw his parents, Kari's parents, Tai and his family, Matt and Mimi, and all the other destined. From where he was sitting, Aaron launched himself out of his chair and into his dad's arms.  
"Well, do I have a brother or a sister?" TK laughed at his impatient son. Giving him a hug, he turned to everyone gathered there.  
"Aaron, you are the big brother to a new little sister." TK said to his son, who he still held in his arms.  
"A sister, cool."  
"What's her name? Everything go okay? How's Kari?"  
"Her name is Angela Hope, everything went fine, and mother and daughter are doing well."  
Everyone moved in at the same time. Everyone hugged TK and Aaron. The new grandmothers were crying, as well as the aunts, and Yolei.  
"When can we see them?" Tai asked TK.  
"Soon. They'll be bringing Angel back to Kari's room soon."  
"Angel? I thought her name was Angela?" Aaron was confused as to why his dad didn't call his sister by her name.  
"It is, but Angel is like a nickname we call her." Aaron just nodded his head in understanding.  
The nurse then came out and told everyone they could go and see her, but only a few at a time.   
The ones that weren't directly related went first. Yolei just looked at the baby in her arms with stars in her eyes. Ken got a sinking feeling. They weren't even married yet, and she was starting to think about babies. The guys all took their turns holding the newest member of their group. Joe had remarked that she was going to look like Kari, but with TK's hair color. Just the opposite of Aaron. When everyone was done, they all left and immediate family came in. Grandmothers and aunts started oohing and aahing over her. Grandfathers and uncles were bursting with pride. And little cousin wasn't sure what was going on. Aaron took it upon himself to explain what was happening. When he was done, she seemed to understand a bit more than before.  
After pictures had been taken, and family had left, the only ones left in the room were the four of them. TK's dad had told them he would pick Aaron up on his way home from work and he could stay over with him.  
"C'mere sweetie." Kari patted the bed beside her for her son to sit beside her. TK helped his son up on the bed. There, he got his first good look at his sister. She looked so cute. He couldn't help but laugh when she yawned. It was going to be fun to be a big brother.  
"Do you want to hold her?" Kari asked her son.  
"Can I?"   
"Sure. Just sit back and hold your arms like this." Aaron copied his mom's actions and she then placed Angel in his arms. Aaron looked as if he had scored the winning point in the championship game.  
The look on his face was priceless and something Kari and TK would always treasure in their hearts.  
A bright light disturbed the four. They turned to the door, and there was TK's dad with a camera.  
"I thought you might like a picture to remember it by."  
"Thanks Dad."  
TK's dad just smiled and offered to take a picture of the whole family. Kari took her daughter back and TK replaced his son and put him in his lap. The family smiled and there was a flash.  
After a few minutes of Grandpa holding his granddaughter, he and Aaron left. When it was just TK, Kari, and Angel left, TK took his daughter in his arms again. He sat down beside his wife and gave her another kiss. For the rest of the night, it was just the three of them in the world.  
  
A week later, Kari got to missing her son. She asked her husband if he had seen him and he remarked that the last time he had seen him had been when they were shooting baskets earlier. Using a trick she had learned from her mother, she muted the TV and motioned for TK to be silent. Using mother's ears, she listened for the sound of his voice. When she found it, she followed it, with TK right behind her. The sound led her to their daughter's room. They peeked in and saw Aaron standing on a stool over his sister's bed. He was talking to her.  
"And when you get bigger, I'll teach you all kinds of neat stuff. I'll show you how to play basketball. You won't be as good as me though. I'll protect you from whatever and whoever tries to hurt you.  
"I'll even tell you all about how when Mommy and Daddy got married, I walked Mommy down the aisle, with a little help from Papa.   
"I'm going to be the best big brother I can be, and you will be the best little sister ever. I love you."  
From their positions outside the door, both TK and Kari were beaming with pride. They put their arms around each other and said a prayer thanking God for the wonderful family they had.  
  
  
  
  
NOTES: Ta-Da! Done. Although it was longer than the first one. I just can't seem to write short pieces (except maybe fluff). Ah well. Anyway, hope you enjoyed!   
I'll let you in on a secret: [I'm working on a little piece of our favorite couple on their honeymoon.] shhh!  
Well, as always, reviews are appreciated.  
God Bless 'Til Next Time - R. Winner  



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